Congestive heart failure affects 23 million people worldwide [1]. Cardiac
transplantation provides a lifesaving treatment for patients with end-stage heart disease.
It offers a longer life with a higher quality to those who have no other treatment
alternative. Although cardiac transplantation offers a relief from heart
immunosuppression. The goal of immunosuppression immediately following surgery is
to prevent hyperacute and acute rejections. Transplantation immunosuppression must
be balanced in order to prevent rejection while minimizing the serious adverse effects
of therapy including life-threatening infections and malignancies. Immunosuppressive
regimens are classified as induction, maintenance, or anti-rejection regimens. Induction
regimens consist of intense early post-operative immunosuppression while
maintenance regimens are used indefinitely for prevention of acute and chronic
rejection. This chapter will review the induction and maintenance immunosuppressive
regimens used in heart transplantation with summaries of selected literature as well as
the most common complications of these therapies and significant drug-drug
interactions.
Keywords: Heart transplantation, Immunosuppression, Interactions, Pharmacotherapy.
